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Bovine TB 'Could Put Trade at Risk' Post-Brexit

19 July 2016

UK - The current status of bovine TB in Wales could put future trade deals at risk, the Farmers’ Union of Wales warned at its Press Conference on Sunday ahead of the Royal Welsh Show.

Addressing the conference, FUW President Glyn Roberts said: “We know that the current rates of bovine TB may represent a significant threat in terms of meat and dairy exports once we are outside the EU, and there is a real risk that our current TB status could be used against us during trade negotiations.

“This means that we have to proactively address the problem, otherwise we might jeopardise all UK trade negotiations with Europe.”

The FUW called on the Welsh Government to initiate a proactive badger management policy at the earliest opportunity to ensure that Wales does not risk losing access to foreign markets, adding that badger vaccination had not worked.

“The clock is now ticking – how fast, we don’t know, but it is ticking, and we need to see our Welsh Government taking the sort of aggressive proactive approach to the disease in wildlife they have taken towards cattle.

“If they don’t, then there is a significant risk that our export negotiations will be at an end before they start,” stressed the FUW President.